Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-01-23
AN INTERESTING SUIT.
A Trial In Progress, at Little Bock, Arr.
Which is Creating Much Ateention.

A Trial in Progress, at Little Rock, Arr,
Which is Creating Much Attention.s
Special to the Gazette. Nsert
LITTLE Rock, ARK, Jan. 22.-Iu the
United States court here there is now in
progress trial which is attracting gen
eral interest. The case Is thasS of .,J0hn
W. Lowman vs.. j. S. Ross, i NJ. White
hall, R. W Smith, G.. S. Dickinson, 7. S.
Johnson, H. c. Townsend, Joseph ZeTga,
II. Thsne, S. L. Sweet, j. D. McDer-
matt, X. d. and j. c. Crenshaw, j. W.
Dickinson, Jr, A. S. Bsrber-, NJ. B. Sims
and A. II. McCarty. The defendants are
prominent citizens of Arkansas City,
Dickinson being mayor of the town. The
plaintiff WAS formerly merchant, doing
business at that point in company with
his brother, NJ. H. Lowman, recently de-
ceased. Lowman claims damages for
malicious prosecution in the sum OF
$780,
ARSON AND LYNCHING,
John W. and NJ. H. Lowman
located in Arkansas City in 1877,
and opened a general merchau-
disc establishment. They were very
successful, the yearly sales ranging
from sos, 900 to $4,000, and the profit
on which was 10 per cent. But while
they were accommodating fortune, they
encountered bitter hostility from less
fortunate rivals, and We're, IS they al
lege, threatened with future disaster. In
1881 the Lowmans were burn
ed out, losing house and goods. With
the Insurance money obtained for the
loss, they again opened out. In January,
1881, they once more suffered from fire,
their house and goods and an entire
block of the town being destroyed: but
they resumed business shortly. On Sep
TENDER $, 1884, the town was again the
scene OF contagrStiOn which DESTROYED
Lowman's establishment, together with
several adjoining buildings. The NEXT
day man named Matthew Orion was ar
rested on charge of starting the tire, two
negroes making affidavit to that effect.
That night while Orton's trial was in pro-
greSs at the courthouse, mob Of
excited citizens took him from Sheriff
LOwmal, dragged him about hundred
yards from the courthouse AMI hung him
to { cottonwood tree.
THE WRETCHED MAN
pro .ested his innocence, but the mob
completed their work without needing
his pieadiugs for mercy. Every man who
composed the mob is known, yet no in
dictments were ever found against them,
nor was any of them. arrested. Orion
Kept saloon in one Of the L0wman'S
buildings, and 1t was charged that they
h.ced him tC start the fire. Excitement
ran high. A committee of safety COM
posed of citizens of the town was organ
lied, which committee notified John W.
and NJ TOyvp1au tO lava no in,
forty light hours. The Lowmans having
suits in court, could not leave, and so in
formed the committee. Sam Lowmau,
was sheriff of the county,
and placed a posse at their dis
posaI for guards. The two brothers lived
in constant terror of assassination. In
May 1854, they had been arrested charged
with incendisrism, and were out on bond,
the case still pending in court. In the
end they left, going to Mississippi, hay
Ing been driven away.
CHARGES AND COUNTER CHARGES.
The matter stirred up the entire coun-
ty, and the present suit has intensified the
feeling Of the friends and enemies of the
LOwmans. On one hand it is charged
that the LOwmanS are incendiaries and
Gtsper2does; on the other it is stated an
Investigation Of the lynching of Mat Orion
will send many citizens of Arkansas City
to the penitentiary. There are numbers
of witnesses on either side. The court
room is crowded daily. The case will Oc-
cupy some days. the prosecution having
only begun the examination of witnesses
The prosecution and defense are repre-
scented by the best legal talent in the
state.